108 On Plaister of Paris, 



As our practical results and opinions, differ with the ac- 

 count of the gypsum, given in the " outlines of a proposed 

 general report from the (British) board of agriculture, on 

 the subject of manures ; printed last year in London, and 

 transmitted here by Sir John Sinclair^ I think it best to 

 publish that account. It is the^ most recent, I have seen from 

 England, on that subject. In the same report, there is a de- 

 tail of experiments by a Mr, Smythe^ of Kent, too long to 

 insert here ; but very favourable to plaister, on sainfoin and 

 clover. By this it appears, that they are little advanced in 

 the knowledge of the uses o; plaister, though a desire to use 

 it begins to increase among their farmers ; who, like most of 

 those of all countries, will not believe till they see. Mr* 

 Smythe^s experiments were on light loams, and poor calca- 

 reous soils; the chalky soils particularly. A friend of his tried 

 it on clay^ and failed. Nor had it effect, with him, on grass ; 

 I suppose he means, other than sainfoin or clover. Nor 

 on corn^ or turnips. Wheat is there called corn. 



GYPSUM. 



" THIS article has hitherto been little used in 

 Britain, as a manure, and, in the instances where it 

 has been employed, the accounts of its value are very 

 contradictory ; in some cases it has been represented 

 as producing astonishing effects ; in others no visible 

 advantage has been derived from it, and in several 

 instances it has done mischief.* Before we enter into 

 any discussion upon the subject, it will be necessary to 

 state, that gypsum consists of a mineral acid, joined 



^ I. wish it had been mentioned what "mischief?" I never 



knew it to do harm, even where it did no good. 



R. P. 



Noverdber 1810. 



